Doug Meal

Latest Publications

Last week, the online shoe and clothing retailer Zappos.com, Inc., reached a settlement with nine state Attorneys General over a 2012 data security breach that allegedly exposed the personal information of more than 24...more

New York’s Department of Financial Services released a letter on December 10, 2014, announcing the details of its plan to focus more attention on cyber security matters in conducting examinations. Directed at New...more

On February 4, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that plaintiffs need not allege actual injury to demonstrate constitutional standing for a willful violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (the...more

In taking action against medical laboratory LabMD, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission demonstrated its continued intent to assert authority through the Federal Trade Commission Act in data-security-breach actions. On August...more

On September 3, 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois dismissed a class action complaint arising from a credit card “skimming” attack suffered by Barnes & Noble in 2012. U.S. District Judge John...more

On August 19, Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Edith Ramirez cautioned companies that collect large quantities of consumer data that the FTC intends to closely scrutinize the measures those companies take to protect...more

On July 11, 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California granted a motion for judgment on the pleadings with respect to the majority of claims brought against Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (“Blizzard”)...more

In 2012, for the first time, companies and government agencies subject to California’s Breach Notification Law were required to submit copies of their data breach notices to the California Attorney General when the breach...more

In taking action against two payment processors earlier this month for providing processing services to merchants allegedly engaged in deceptive telemarketing practices, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission demonstrated a broad...more

With cybercrime on the rise, regulators and plaintiffs’ lawyers are pressing businesses to help mitigate the risk of identity fraud to American consumers. Ironically, at the same time, plaintiffs’ lawyers have sued numerous...more

The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) recently declared that sellers of products and services can be held vicariously liable for actions of third-party telemarketers that violate the Telephone Consumer Protection Act...more

Two recent developments should have all app providers reviewing their privacy practices and policies. On Monday, December 10, the Federal Trade Commission released its latest report on privacy disclosures and kids apps....more